News Release

New Primary Care Clinical Leads in Local Communities

Working with Local Providers to strengthen local primary care for patients

TORONTO, ON (July 26, 2016) – It is our pleasure to announce that the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) has appointed one Physician Advisor-Primary Care Strategy and six Primary Care Clinical Leads. These qualified physicians will have the opportunity to influence positive change, by championing our strategy to strengthen local primary care and leading local primary care planning and delivery within our five sub-regions.

Recruited through a competitive procurement process, the one Physician Advisor-Primary Care Strategy and six Primary Care Clinical Leads are:

Dr. Philip Ellison, our Physician Advisor- Primary Care Strategy, will act as a key liaison between the Toronto Central LHIN and local primary care providers, and will provide counsel to the Toronto Central LHIN on the advancement of its strategy to strengthen local primary care for patients.

With at least one Primary Care Clinical Lead identified in each of the Toronto Central LHIN’s five sub-regions, these physicians will play a key leadership role through collaborative planning and engagement of local primary care providers. Strengthening the connections between primary care providers and the overall health system, our Primary Care Clinical Leads will also champion patient-centric initiatives aimed to meet the needs of Toronto Central LHIN residents.

QUOTES

“The Toronto Central LHIN is committed to strengthening local primary care planning and delivery. Offering us their clinical expertise and leadership, these seasoned physicians will work to help make the changes patients want to see in our local health system. The roles of the Physician Advisor- Primary Care Strategy and the Primary Care Clinical Leads will be critical as we work with local clinical and health system providers to organize, integrate and deliver health services around the needs of our diverse, local communities.”

— Susan Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive Officer, Toronto Central LHIN

“The Toronto Central LHIN’s 2015-2018 Strategic Plan emphasizes the importance of a strong local primary health care system as a critical underpinning to a well-organized overall health care system and for this reason I am thrilled to be in the role of Physician Advisor - Primary Care Strategy. As a liaison between the Toronto Central LHIN and the local community of primary care providers, I will be part of a team of physicians who will be engaging our primary care partners to make the primary care system meet the needs of patients now and in the future.”

Toronto Central LHIN has divided its region into five planning areas to provide a foundation for the development of local integrated systems to ensure that the residents within Toronto Central LHIN receive better health outcomes.

These local planning areas will assist the Toronto Central LHIN to more effectively plan, evaluate and improve each local health system. This work will be done in consultation and partnership with its residents, patients and health service providers to ensure that the system is responsive to the unique local communities within the city of Toronto.

There are 1341 active primary care physicians in the Toronto Central LHIN

Toronto Central LHIN has the highest concentration of health services in Ontario with more than 170 health service providers delivering 210 programs. Toronto Central LHIN is responsible for planning, integrating and funding local health services that meet the needs of 1.2 million residents and thousands of other Ontarians who come to Toronto for care.